


My Brother's Keeper

by szm



Series: Monster Under The Bed [2]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: AU, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-12
Updated: 2012-07-12
Packaged: 2017-11-09 20:43:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/458175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/szm/pseuds/szm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Series is based on a meme prompt (Sherlock/John...one of them is the monster/creature from under the other's bed)</p><p>This is how Mycroft ended up Outside.</p>
            </blockquote>





	My Brother's Keeper

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, yes, sequel to Bump in the Night. Which was only a prompt-fic, it just went and grew a bit of a backstory and Mycroft raised an eyebrow at me until I wrote his part of the backstory down. (Mycroft's raised eyebrow is nothing to be arguing with I assure you!)

When Mummy sent Mycroft Outside he was furious, it took him three days to calm down enough that he could take a human form. (He still has trouble holding that shape, the three piece suits help, giving him a mold to pour himself into. Sherlock, who always found holding other shapes to be ridiculously easy, makes veiled comments about Mycroft ‘putting on weight’. The comments irritate and annoy, making the control harder, which is of course Sherlock’s aim.)

It’s all Sherlock’s fault, as are most of the trials in Mycroft’s life. He had to go running off to the Outside after he lost some pointless human; Mycroft had warned him not to give up his name so carelessly. Mummy had been so upset; it was cruel of Sherlock to worry her so. She’d sent Mycroft to get him back. 

Mycroft did not like humans, scaring them had its appeal but he never spent much time under beds. Unlike Sherlock who Mycroft suspected had always been a little fascinated by the human world, even before he’d met John Watson. He thought he’d track down Sherlock and drag him back home as quickly as possible, but Sherlock turned out to be quite adept at hiding. Instead of the highest points in society Sherlock gravitated to the lowest. Areas that were outside the law therefore less monitored. Pretty much the opposite of what Mycroft would have done.

But then Mycroft would never have left home in the first place.

While looking for Sherlock, Mycroft gathers power. Humans give power in such strange ways, elections and _public opinion_ , things that are so easily twisted for your own gain. Back home Mummy’s word is law and only fools and madmen question it. But this way of ruling, it’s more chaotic, and more _fun_ , and soon Mycroft finds that he’s practically running the British government. Individually his opinion on humans doesn’t change, dull, uninteresting, little things, with the odd exception. (He meets a young woman who is as careful with her name as one of his own kind and who never knowingly shows surprise, even when she works out what he is. He keeps her close, one day he may need to deal with her but for now she is at least interesting.) But in groups humans are _fascinating_. Politics and subtle power games, scaring a child in their bedroom is a petty pleasure, intimidating whole countries with a few words and a tilt of his head in an utter joy. Mycroft has never had this kind of power before, it’s intoxicating.

He finds Sherlock eventually, down with the worst of humanity, the weak and broken ones. Sherlock is lost, an _addict_. Mycroft loves his brother and it hurts to see him like this. Humanity does this to itself; it’s the worst thing he can envisage. Mycroft would have dragged Sherlock home by his hair but he wasn’t the first to find him. 

There are others Outside, those who chose to leave and those who ran afoul of Mummy and were forced too. Mrs Hudson seems to owe Sherlock something and has some power of her own. She also seems to be something of a hub for the exiled. They are quite insistent that Sherlock is not to be forced to go anywhere against his will. Mycroft could take Sherlock from them but it would be difficult and honestly… Mycroft doesn’t want to go home yet. He has something here he was missing at home, a challenge, a purpose. Freedom.

Sherlock gets better, with help from Mrs Hudson. And help from Mycroft, even thought that is much less graciously received. Sherlock is convinced Mycroft is just biding his time before he drags him back. Sherlock finds a calling, Consulting Detective. A ridiculous waste of his potential, but it keeps him out of the worst kinds of trouble, and it brings him a little into the light and therefore it’s easier for Mycroft to keep a watchful eye. Sherlock even finds some form of protection from Lord Lestrade. Sherlock also finds the little human who unknowingly triggered this whole situation. Mycroft makes a point of meeting John Watson and has to admit to being quietly impressed. John is another human worth keeping a close eye on, and not just because of his connection to Sherlock.

One day he’ll go home of course. He loves Mummy far too much to ever defy her, on that day he’ll take his brother with him and not even Lord Lestrade will be able to stop him. But it doesn’t need to be today, not with the delightful puzzle of world politics left unsolved.

It’s all Sherlock’s fault that Mycroft finds himself Outside. Mycroft should really find some way to thank him.


End file.
